Oregon solar code needs tweaking

Cameron Teune of SolarCity performs a solar installation on a Northeast Portland home. A code developed by the Oregon Building Codes Division will establish statewide requirements for installing photovoltaic systems. (Photo by Dan Carter/DJC)

One month before it’s due to take effect, the first statewide solar code is going back to the drawing board.

A code developed by the Oregon Building Codes Division will establish requirements for installing photovoltaic systems. But the code would limit which parts a solar installer could use to attach solar panels to roofs. That doesn’t sit well with solar installers, solar manufacturers or the people in charge of writing the code.

Solar racking is the structural system that attaches photovoltaic panels to roofs. In Oregon, any electrical component on a solar photovoltaic system needs to be certified to a UL1703 standard. It was created and vetted by Underwriters Laboratories, an organization that researches new products and writes safety standards.

Racking is a structural system, and not an electrical system. Racking on a metal roof, however, could act as a ground, or a return path for electric currents from photovoltaic systems, said Aeron Teverbaugh, policy analyst for the Building Codes Division. That’s why the committee developing the code decided to require UL1703. That decision, however, needs some rethinking, Teverbaugh said.

Only Portland manufacturer SolarWorld offers racking with such a certification – as part of a solar kit. A solar kit packages all of the components needed to wire a home for solar, but installers say these kits are less efficient. In addition, securing electrical certification for other racking systems is an expensive proposition for manufacturers.

“We found we were putting a constraint on installations,” Teverbaugh said. “If you put up a SolarWorld kit, that’s 99 percent going to have a UL certification. If you buy separate components from Sanyo and someone else’s racking system, those may not be.”

Many solar installers choose components from different manufacturers to offer the best price and most efficiency for their customers, said Andrew Koyaanisqatsi, president of Solar Energy Solutions. Oftentimes, buying a solar kit is about 10 percent more expensive than buying individual parts, he said.

Installers of photovoltaic systems say certification of a structural component for electrical safety just doesn't make sense. The Oregon Building Codes Division will review the rule later this month. (Photo by Dan Carter/DJC)

While racking should be thoroughly reviewed by an engineer to be sure it can handle snow weight, and torque from inclement weather, Koyaanisqatsi said certifying a structural component for electrical safety just doesn’t make sense.

“Requiring a racking system to be UL certified is crazy and absurd,” Koyaanisqatsi said. “A racking system is grounded to the photovoltaics, but it’s also grounded to the house.”

Requiring racking to be UL1703 certified would also give unfair advantage to companies that have the certified equipment, said John Patterson, president of Mr. Sun Solar. Larger solar manufacturers may be able to pay for workers to certify their equipment, but others would be cut out of the market, Patterson said.

“All that’s necessary for your racking to be safe is to have a structural engineer with the city approve any racking being used,” Patterson said. “Requiring UL certification for racking would be a big mistake.”

The state’s Construction Industry Energy Board will meet on Sept. 28 to make recommendations on how a less restrictive safety requirement can be put into place. The code is scheduled to take effect Oct. 1.

“We want to make sure the prescriptive path (for solar installations) isn’t so narrow it doesn’t get used,” Teverbaugh said.

One comment

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